The left regard Colombia's claims of links between Venezuela and Ecuador with Farc as trumped up, and they back Chávez's mobilisation of troops on Colombia's frontier. They suspect Washington of being behind the raids and of orchestrating a pretext for dealing with Venezuela. Richard Gott says the "wilful slaughter" of Farc's Raul Reyes puts back efforts to free the group's hostages.

But Colombia's actions are championed by those on the right. "Colombia demonstrates that political thugs and terrorists can be beaten. It provides a democratic model that challenges Chavismo," says Austin Bay, a columnist and former US army reserve colonel.

Meanwhile, Alberto de la Cruz pokes fun at the idea of Chávez taking on the might of the Colombian army.

From a different perspective, Global Voices does a typically admirable job of translating and rounding up South American blog chatter on the subject here and here.

It says Pala Labra echoes many Colombian bloggers by resenting Chávez's intervention. "It really annoys me when people get into other people's affairs with no invitation," says the post.

It quotes Alejandro Peláez drawing the comparison between this crisis and the Middle East. "Colombia, in Hugo's mind, is Israel, and Venezuela, one can suppose, is something like Iran. And then what happens?"